British rock group Queen have described their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - which takes place next week - as a "high honour".

Guitarist Brian May told BBC News Online that he was "very, very happy" at the award, which is given to artists who have had a "significant impact" on rock 'n' roll.

The ceremony comes 10 years after the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury. Asked what he though Mercury would make of the accolade, May said: "Freddie would go, 'Oh
wonderful.'"

2001 Hall of Fame inductees

Queen

Michael Jackson

Aerosmith

Paul Simon

Steely Dan

Ritchie Valens

The Flamingos

Solomon Burke

Artists to be inducted along with Queen at Monday's ceremony include Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Steely Dan and Paul Simon.

The remaining members of Queen - Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon - will perform their anthem We Will Rock You at the annual ceremony, which takes place at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. They will also perform a song with Aerosmith.

The band's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, died from an Aids-related illness in 1991. He will be represented at the ceremony by his mother, Jer Bulsara, and sister, Kashmira Cooke.

Queen have sold over 100 million records worldwide and their hits have included Bohemian Rhapsody, I Want To Break Free and Radio Gaga.

The surviving members have since gone on to top the British charts with pop group 5ive when the two groups recorded a version of We Will Rock You.

'Golden era'

They are now working with comedian Ben Elton on a stage show featuring their hits.

But a spokesman for the band said there are no plans for the remaining members to record together.

A Hall of Fame statement says that Queen are being given the honour because "in the golden era of glam-rock and gorgeously hyper-produced theatrical extravaganzas that defined one branch of '70s rock, no group came close in either concept or execution to Queen".

Michael Jackson: To be honoured on 19 March

Artists can only be inducted into the Hall of Fame 25 years after their first release.

Queen's first British chart hit, Seven Seas of Rhye, was released in 1974.

An induction ceremony takes place once a year, and previous British artists inducted include The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who.

Michael Jackson, who was recently in Britain to launch his Heal The Kids charity, will also take part in the ceremony. His career started with the Jackson 5 in the early 1970s.

Steely Dan have seen themselves elevated to legendary status after their latest album, Two Against Nature, won the best album award at this year's Grammys. Their first album was released in 1971.

Lesser-known artists to be inducted include singer Solomon Burke, whose voice has influenced many soul, r 'n' b, country and gospel artists, and trend-setting doo-wop group The Flamingos whose only British hit was Boogaloo Party in 1969.

All inductees are represented in a permanent exhibition at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, in Cleveland, Ohio.